1. Khaled Alloush UN Resident Coordinator UNDP Resident Representative Speech To Dubai International Rehabilitation Forum REHAB 2008 “UN Experience” 10 March 2008 Dubai

2. Statistics: 650 M persons with disabilities (1: 10 people). 80% live in rural areas of developing countries. 1: 5 persons with disabilities live below the poverty line. 470 M are of working age group. 1/2 disabled people in developed nations and the majority of those with disabilities in developing countries are unemployed. 40% of disabled people in working age group in EU in 2003 were working compared to 64.2 % of persons without disabilities. Loss for not realizing the potential of persons with disabilities is US$ 1.37 to 1.94 trillion. Men are almost twice as likely to have jobs as compared to women.

3. Difficulties/ Barriers: Disproportionate poverty and unemployment. Prejudice about their ability/productivity denies them work opportunities. Lack of access to work place environment. Limited or no access to services they need. Lower earnings than persons without disabilities. Low-level, low-paid jobs with little legal security. Difficulties gaining access to education or acquisition of employable skills. Lack of legislation to protect persons with disabilities in the workplace. Consequences: Depending on begging, hand-out and welfare.

4. UN System contributions: Moving from a welfare perspective on disability to a development and human rights perspective is the UN most important contribution over the last three decades.

5. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities and the Optional Protocol The Convention was adopted by the GA in 13 December 2006 and opened for signature on 30 March 2007. The Convention provides a platform to enable all stakeholders to move together toward ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy human rights on an equal basis with others. By mid February 2008, 126 countries signed the Convention and is expected to enter into force in 2008. On 14 Feb 2008 UAE signed the Optional Protocol of the Convention. The Convention is composed of a Preamble and 50 Articles. Article 1, Purpose of the Convention, “is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities and to promote respect for their inherent dignity” Article 27 of the Convention, for example, stresses the right of persons with disabilities to earn a living from freely chosen work, and to work in an environment that is both accessible and accepting.

6. ILO ILO promotes Decent Work for everyone, including people with disabilities on the principles of equal opportunity, equal treatment. Achieving Decent Work requires promoting labor standards, advocacy, knowledge building and technical cooperation services and partnerships. Decent work includes the right to skill upgrading, vocational and professional training; continue education and rehabilitation.

7. UN DESA UN Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by GA in 1993. It consists of 22 Rules, related to: Awareness-raising; Medical care; Rehabilitation; and Support services; Accessibility; Education; Employment; Income maintenance and social security; Family life and personal integrity; Culture; Recreation; and Religion. Implementation Measures consists of 10 Rules related to information and research, policy making and planning, legislation, coordination, personal training, national monitoring and evaluation, technical and economic cooperation, and international cooperation. UN provides financial support through VF on Disabilities. The World Prog of Action on Disable persons adopted by UN in 1982. Objectives are: 1) support full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in social life and development; 2) advance the rights &protect the dignity of persons with disabilities 3) promote equal access to employment, education, information and good services.

8. UNDP Persons with disabilities identified as a key group to be included for development in three out of four priority areas. Poverty reduction, Democratic governance, and Crisis prevention and recovery. Under poverty: data collection and analysis of disabilities will highlight the issue and provide better resource allocation for basic social services to persons with disabilities.. Under governance: lack of access to polling stations and government response to protect persons with disabilities from abuse and neglect. Crisis prevention and recovery conflict and natural disasters cause sharp increase in the No. of persons with disabilities. Over 50 UNDP COs are implementing/recently implemented over 100 projects regarding persons with disabilities. Focused is on employment initiatives and helping families of persons with disabilities.

9. High Commissioner for Human Rights The OHCHR, as the guardian of the human rights, has a particular responsibility to ensure that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is implemented properly.

10. Thank you